Senior shortstop Pam Dreslinski (Kingsville, OH/Edgewood - pictured) was 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI as the Hofstra Softball team captured an 8-5 win over Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday evening at the University of South Florida Best Western Invitational.  

With the win, the Pride improves to 2-1 on the young season, while Florida Gulf Coast, which defeated South Florida and Mississippi earlier at the Best Western Invitational, slips to 4-5.

Hofstra exploded for six runs in the second inning to take a 6-0 lead. Dreslinski started off the inning with the first of her two doubles, and added a bases-loaded walk to push across the fifth run. Junior catcher Carolann Lubach (Langley, WA/South Whidbey capped off the inning with another bases-loaded walk, while senior third baseman Genevieve Haney (Levittown, PA/Conwell-Egan), sophomore left fielder Kris Root (Waynesboro, PA/Greencastle-Antrim) and junior second baseman Casey Fee (Long Beach, NY/Long Beach) each had RBI singles in the inning.

For the second straight game, though, Pride starter Kayleigh Lotti (South Attleboro, MA/St. Raphael's Academy) struggled with her control and gave up most of the 6-0 lead. She allowed a two-run homer in the fourth inning after a walk, then walked two more batters in the top of the sixth.

After a single pushed across the third run, Lotti was pulled in favor of junior Joanna Kralowetz (Mt. Airy, MD/Linganore), who gave up two more RBI singles. However, sophomore right fielder Laura Jaxheimer (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) made a big defensive play by gunning out a runner at third base to end the inning with the Pride still leading 6-5.

Dreslinski then led off the bottom of the sixth with her second double, and came in to score on a throwing error on Lubach's ground ball. Lubach later came around to score on a sacrifice fly from senior designated player Courtney Oliver (Swansea, MA/Coyle-Cassidy) to increase the lead to 8-5.

Lotti allowed four hits and picked up the win to improve to 1-1 on the season, while freshman pitcher Sara Michalowski (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) threw a perfect seventh inning to get her first collegiate save. Root was 3-4 at the plate, one day after hitting 2-for-2 in the Pride's loss to fourth-ranked Tennessee.

Hofstra will next be in action when it closes out play at the Best Western Invitational on Monday with games against Mississippi and host South Florida.